


What are Friends For?

by archaeologist_d



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Angst, Coming Out, Homophobia, M/M, Modern Era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:07:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25807849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archaeologist_d/pseuds/archaeologist_d
Summary: When Merlin gets a drunk text from Arthur, he just rolled over and went back to sleep. That wasn’t a wise move.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 98





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a WIP. I don't know when I will finish it but I definitely will. However, right now, I'm on hiatus and when I do post again, this story will be complete.

**Clotpole:** mn fkd u frind?

**Clotpole:** pour nw nw 2 go

**Clotpole:** nvr mind

Merlin’s phone went silent after that. Mostly not awake, he picked it up, looked at the drunk texts from Arthur, thought a moment about calling him back, then put the phone down again. It was the fourth or was it the fifth set of crap texts he’d had from Arthur this week and every other time, Arthur said it was nothing, that he was just playing around when Merlin confronted him about it. Merlin figured it was just more of the same and turned over and went back to sleep. He’d tell the arse off come morning. He was getting a little tired of worrying about the git, especially when Arthur was being stupid. 

* * *

Arthur wasn’t being stupid.

As Merlin opened the door to his flat, thinking to go to the barista’s down the road for a mocha fiesta with extra whipped crème, he almost tripped over Arthur huddled in the doorway.

Arthur was always a fit bloke, gorgeous to look at, that mouth of his sinful in a way that Merlin would love to explore, but friends don’t do friends unless there were rules ahead of time and he didn’t think Arthur would go for it. Besides, he was as straight as they come, and Merlin didn’t do straight. It only led to heartache when the gay experiment was over, and the wanker decided to go back to their posh bird.

But now Arthur looked like hell. Hair, for once, looking more like a rat’s nest than his usual and very expensive cut, his hoodie half-ripped and not in a good way, trainers mud-soaked. It was very odd. At least there wasn’t a puddle of vomit next to him.

Sighing, Merlin gave Arthur’s thigh a little kick, trying to wake him up.

When Arthur’s eyes finally opened, they were blood-shot, as if he’d been at the alcohol again or else crying and Pendragons never cried or so Merlin had been told. But he didn’t smell like he’d been drinking so Merlin took that as a win.

For a moment, Arthur didn’t say anything, just sat there, his mouth opening and closing like some kind of beached fish, drowning in air. Finally, he said, “Can I come in? I won’t stay long.”

So much for mocha fiesta with extra crème.

Merlin just nodded, then went back inside, Arthur shuffling in behind him.

Merlin said, “So too out of it to go home? Who was it this time? Vivian being a bitch again or was it Gwaine pulling you into a drinking contest? You know how he is. He could drink anyone under the table, including the table, the chair and the floor.”

“I’ve not had any yet.” With that, Arthur wiped his hand across his face, then headed for the place where Merlin stashed his admittedly small liquor supply. Arthur didn’t even reach for a glass, just opened the vodka and took a couple of gulps. Merlin was surprised, to say the least. Usually, Arthur was more circumspect about it, taking sips rather than pouring it down his throat and mostly wine, not the harder stuff. Although he had been getting drunk a lot lately.

“If you get ratarsed and barf all over my floor, I’m not cleaning it up,” Merlin said, watching him carefully. “Are you hungry? I’ve eggs and bacon if you like or I could make pancakes. I’m off today so it would be….”

Merlin didn’t know what to do. Arthur was crying. Shit.

Putting his arm around Arthur’s shoulder, guiding him to the sofa, then grabbing a box of tissues and pulling out several to hand over to Arthur, Merlin said, “Hey, it’s… it’s not Vivian, is it? Did she cheat on you or something?”

Arthur shook his head, then started laughing but not in a good way, more like he was trying to stop himself from crying. It did work, sort of.

Gulping down whatever grief was taking hold, Arthur finally said, “My father kicked me out. Not to come back. Said he wouldn’t have an abomination in his house.”

None of that made sense.

True, Uther Pendragon was a nasty piece of work and Arthur was living off him, staying at the house while he was going to uni, driving the company car, but still, Uther loved Arthur in his own perverse way. As long as Arthur followed the _rules_.

Abomination?

“Can I stay here a couple of days? I know that you’ve work and uni is kicking your arse, but I’ll stay out of your way. Just until I figure something else out.” Arthur looked like he expected Merlin to say no.

As if Merlin would ever say no to Arthur.

Merlin gave Arthur another shoulder hug, then got up, handing Arthur the box of tissues, and said, “Of course. Gaius is away so you can have his room for now. Just ignore the weird smells and crystals hanging all over the place. I’ll get new sheets and you can tell me all about it after.”

But Arthur shook his head, grabbing Merlin’s hand a moment before letting him go. “I… you should know before you agree to anything. I know you… well, my father found out about Charlie.”

Who the hell was Charlie?

Merlin must have said that because Arthur flushed a deep red. “He’s the twink down at the Rising Sun. He’s been… I’ve been… we’re fuck buddies.”

What? Merlin was confused. “You didn’t say anything about a Charlie. I thought… I tell you everything.” Well, that wasn’t quite true. He didn’t tell Arthur how much he wanted to fuck him into the mattress and maybe never come out again. And he certainly didn’t tell Arthur how much he… well, loved him. And wait, what? Fuck buddies? As in fucking a guy? That kind of fuck buddy?

“I didn’t want you involved. I know what kind of man my father is. He’d come after you if he thought we were… close. You know, in a sexual way.” Arthur seemed almost shy about the idea but then his face closed up again. “I figured it would be safer for everyone if I just… Charlie was just in it for the sex anyway. Said I was useful for stuffing his bell-end up my arse and wiggling it around. And I… I was tired of hiding who I was.”

Merlin’s head was spinning. “So you hid this Charlie person from everyone?”

“Yeah, not even Morgana knows and she’s got connections to the Mafia, I swear, or M5 or something.” Arthur gulped again. “I couldn’t go to him. He’s not really into anything but getting stuffed. So can I stay?”

As if he’d ever say no. “I’ll make pancakes with chocolate chips and ice cream. Then you can tell me all about it.”

Arthur just nodded.

It looked like it was going to be a long, long day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin finds out what happened with Arthur. Uther is a dick.

* * *

For a long time, they didn’t talk. Merlin figured Arthur needed to collect his thoughts and Merlin’s head was spinning with the idea that maybe Arthur wasn’t as straight as he’d been assuming. That Arthur actually liked getting a cock shoved up his arse. That maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t just experimenting with the gay side of things.

And Merlin’s mind, traitor that it was, kept supplying all kinds of scenarios, from incredible shower sex to getting rug burn on his knees while Arthur used Merlin’s dildo on himself and shoved his own cock into Merlin. That Arthur, perfect lover, found that sweet spot inside Merlin and left evidence of how good Arthur was on the floor, the table, and maybe even the window. 

But then he glanced over at Arthur and all those thoughts just evaporated.

Arthur looked miserable. Merlin decided then and there to be the friend Arthur was relying on, not some perv taking advantage of Arthur’s situation.

Getting busy in the kitchen, Merlin made a stack of pancakes, some with chocolate chips in them and some plain, and chocolate fudge ice cream on the side. A decadent breakfast if ever Merlin had seen. All he needed were whipped crème and strawberries to make it complete. And maybe some champagne or a not-cheap wine. 

But Arthur didn’t seem to care. Shoving pancakes and ice cream in his mouth, between bites, he was still gulping down vodka. Too much so, especially if Arthur was going to remain sober.

When Arthur started looking a little green, as he turned away a moment looking down at his phone, Merlin slid the remnants of the bottle out of sight and substituted a glass of water.

At any other time, the annoyed look on Arthur’s face would have had Merlin laughing at him. Not this time. Instead, Merlin said, “You promised to tell me about it. Just in case, your dad… well, he is a dick. I don’t know him well, but he seems the kind to be… umm vindictive?”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Arthur was staring down at the glass. He looked like he was wishing it were vodka, but Merlin figured he’d better hide the rest of his alcohol stash for the time being, just in case.

Brushing one hand over his eyes, Arthur slowly curled into himself, his forehead on the counter and he seemed to be talking to the floor. “I keep getting notices that my company credit cards have been cancelled. And while I was waiting for you to wake up, one of the men from Pendragon logistics came and drove my car away.”

“Oh, Arthur, I’m so sorry.” Merlin didn’t know what else to say. To think a parent would do that to their child was just beyond him.

“He can’t touch my personal account. That was the money my mum left me, but it won’t go that far. I’ll need to rethink uni. Get a job. Find a place to live.” Arthur sounded bewildered. “I’ve texted Morgana, just to give her a head’s up, but with her living in Paris, I can’t move in with her, even if she was willing to take me in.”

Merlin couldn’t stand it. He reached over and slid his fingers through Arthur’s hair, then enveloping him in another hug, trying to let him know that Merlin was there for him.

Usually, Arthur would shrug it off, mocking Merlin whenever he got too close. But this time, Arthur turned and hugged him back, burying his face into Merlin’s neck, breathing hard as if he was trying not to cry.

“Listen, Arthur, you can stay here as long as you need to. Gaius will be back on the weekend and then you can move in with me in my room. The bed’s a bit small, but I’m sure we can figure something out. At least until you get settled and find out just how bad it is.”

Pulling back, Arthur gave a little huff of surprise. “Merlin, your room isn’t much bigger than a broom closet. There’s no way we’d both fit in there.”

“It would be fun to try,” Merlin said, snickering a little. “Or you could sleep on the floor….” When Arthur just rolled his eyes, Merlin said, “Hey, I’ll clean it up, hoover it a bit and put down some pillows. It will be fun, like a sleepover.”

“Merlin, we aren’t six, you know.” But Arthur was smiling at least. Then he sobered. “I didn’t have time to get clothes or anything. I’ll have to try and see if I can sneak back in for my things.” He leaned back down, staring at the remnants of breakfast. “Otherwise….”

Merlin nodded. “Hey, we’ll figure something out.” As Arthur nodded, then looked like he was about to fall over and sleep in melted ice cream and pancake bits, Merlin said, “Let’s get you to bed. You can use mine until I change Gaius’s sheets.”

Arthur must have been really tired because he didn’t even have an insult at the ready.

They both stumbled into Merlin’s room, and Arthur collapsed on the unmade bed and started snoring almost immediately. Merlin took off the muddy trainers, gently pulled off Arthur’s trousers, trying to not look at all that gorgeous skin, and tucked him in.

Arthur was sleeping in Merlin’s bed. Arthur was curling around Merlin’s pillow. Arthur was snoring and breathing and muttering in Merlin’s room. 

Merlin was in deep, deep trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur confronts his father. It doesn’t go well.

* * *

Arthur slept most of the morning. Merlin called Gaius to let him know what was going on, then did try and clean up a bit, just so Arthur could have some space in the lounge. He replaced the sheets in Gaius’s room, aired it out a bit. Then he popped down to the M&S, got some basic toiletries like toothbrush and Arthur’s favorite deodorant – he wasn’t a snoop but one day, he’d wandered into Arthur’s ensuite and was poking around, okay?, bought some food for the next few days, and then after coming back, settled down to study for his biochemistry class.

When Arthur finally came out, Merlin was pretty much done with studying. Looking up, he said, “hey, there, sleepyhead, you okay?”

“Head hurts,” Arthur said, rubbing at his eyes.

Merlin got up, gave him some paracetamol and water, and said, “Look, I’ve put a toothbrush and your deodorant in the bathroom, oh, and your shampoo, and I’ve restocked the pantry. I’m needed at the hospital in a few minutes. I won’t be back until midnight or so, depending on what’s going on there. It will be like that the rest of the week and I’ve classes, too, but the weekend is free so maybe we could start looking for flats for you. If you like?”

“Merlin, I’m a big boy. I’m sure I’ll be fine. You just get to work, and you can tell me all about it when you get home.” Arthur gave him a little smile, more like a grimace, and he still looked like he’d been run over by a lorry.

But Merlin couldn’t dawdle. The hospital was a good 20 minutes walk and Merlin did not want to be late. So he just said, “Okay, will do.”

Merlin just hoped that Arthur would rest and not do something rash, like confront his arsehole father. At least, not without backup.

* * *

Of course, Arthur did.

Merlin got home a little after midnight. In the lounge, there were clothes scattered everywhere and Arthur was yelling into the phone. “Morgs, he was impossible. You know how he is. Acting like he’s right all the time but this time, I thought he’d be….” Arthur saw Merlin, gestured him in, mouthed that he was talking with Morgana, then said into the phone, “Look, Morgs, I know you don’t get along with him all that well and I appreciate that you want go to battle for me, but I don’t want you pulled into my problems.”

Merlin could almost hear what she was saying but not enough to be sure. Arthur just nodded.

“Listen, listen. He was all apologetic when I got there, and then started talking about therapy, you know, the kind where they try and convert you back to not being gay.”

Merlin shuddered at that. He knew enough about those kinds of therapies. They never worked and often people self-harmed after or even tried to commit suicide. To think that Arthur’s father would try and force that on Arthur was just too awful to contemplate.

“Of course, I’m not going to.” Arthur was clearly upset. He kept rubbing his hand through his hair, his face scrunched up in a deep scowl. “I thought… at first I thought he’d come around, that he loved me enough to change his mind about things. But when he gave me a pamphlet about it and talked about arranging to see them right away, I knew he’d never accept me.”

Picking up the pamphlet, looking at it a moment, Arthur threw it across the room. It landed in the tray of Gauis’s potted herbs, caught between rosemary and thyme before wilting into a soggy mess.

Arthur started pacing again, - well, as much as he could with all the clothes on the floor. “But I wanted my clothes at least. I can’t expect Merlin to give me his. He’s tiny.”

Merlin sent him a glare, Arthur sent him a quick shrug back. “I told him I’d think about it and then I went up to my room and he followed me and I told him that I’d be going to the therapy session tomorrow, and if he could arrange it, that would be great.” Arthur stopped a moment, blinking down at the mess in the tiny lounge. “He bought it although it was a near thing. But I yawned and said I hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before because I’d been thinking about therapy and that it might be good for me to try. He said he’d arrange for them to pick me up tomorrow, that I could stay the night.”

Arthur flopped down onto the sofa. Merlin flopped next to him, brushing his hand across Arthur’s arm to give him a little bit of support. “Soon as the coast was clear, I stuffed everything I could into a suitcase and left.” Arthur listened a little more to his sister, then said, “He told me I was a good son, that as long as I remained unsullied, I would be welcome any time.”

Even from where Merlin was sitting, he could hear Morgana yelling into the phone, something about fucking arseholes and then it degenerated into unintelligible insults. There was a lot of fucks in there, though.

Arthur pulled the phone away from his ear, grimacing a little, then shaking his head. “Morgs, Morgs, I’m fine. It’s over. I’ve most of my things and I have money enough that I won’t be homeless.” He listened a moment longer, then turned the phone over to Merlin. “She wants to talk to you.”

Gingerly, Merlin said, “Hello?”

Morgana sounded like she had been shouting for hours. Perhaps she had. “Is he okay? Does he need anything? Will you tell me if he does?”

“Listen, Arthur’s going to be fine. He can stay here as long as he likes. He may have to rethink uni after a bit, but whatever he does, he’ll have friends to support him. I certainly will. What are friends for, otherwise?” Merlin gave Arthur a little smile, then said, “Of course, as soon as we hang up, he’ll have to clean up the lounge because it looks like a bomb exploded right now.”

Morgana laughed, then said, “Merlin, I know he’ll be going through a rough patch but don’t let him get away with anything. Uther may be an arse, but Arthur can be one, too.”

“Don’t I know it. Did he tell you about the time…?” Arthur was gesturing for Merlin to give him the phone back. “Morgana, I’ll tell you next time I see you.”

Arthur said, “Morgs, I’ll call you when I figure out what I’ll be doing next. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I’ve got Merlin to keep me company. No, no, I will. You, too. Bye.” And then he put down his phone, staring at it a while.

Merlin said, “She’s a good sister. She’s worried about you.”

“Funny, I always thought of her as a pain in the arse.” Arthur glanced around. “I’ll clean up in the morning.”

Merlin just gave Arthur a look, then said, “Yes, you will. But right now, I’m knackered so I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

Arthur nodded, then grabbing a t-shirt and underwear, he said, “Night, Merlin, and thank you.” When Merlin smiled, Arthur slumped off into Gaius’s room and shut the door.

For a moment, Merlin just stood there, hating Uther with everything in him. Who would do that to their own son? It boggled the mind.

Fucking arsehole.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next few days, Merlin tried to be supportive. Arthur should have gone to class, but instead took to staring at Gaius’s herbs and going through most of Merlin’s liquor stash. Merlin would come home after a hard shift at the hospital, his nursing classes kicking his arse, and find Arthur snoring away in the lounge.

The git was gorgeous even when he was at his worst, but Merlin’s sympathy was wearing a little thin, not because Arthur didn’t deserve it but because Merlin was so very tired. With classes and shifts and homework, it didn’t help that Merlin was awake half the night thinking about Arthur in the next room. His hand hadn’t had that much work-out in quite some time, and he’d need to buy more lube next time he went shopping. His dreams were all too vivid, and he worried that he’d been calling out Arthur’s name in his sleep. He worried, too, about what would happen when Gaius returned, and Arthur moved into his room with Merlin. That could be a nightmare.

Finally, the day before Gaius was supposed to return, Merlin lost it. A long shift, his supervisor telling him that he needed to step up his game if he expected to graduate, and all Merlin wanted to do was put his feet up and watch some telly and not think about anything.

When he arrived back at the flat, Arthur looked up at him, bleary-eyed, close to being pissed from the looks of him, and said, “You… umm… look like hell.”

So did Arthur but Merlin wasn’t about to tell him that. Arguing would have taken too much energy. Still, Merlin said, “Fuck off. It’s been a day.”

Collapsing onto the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table, no matter what Gaius would have said about it, Merlin laid his head back and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure he even had enough energy to make it to bed.

Not quite listening, he could hear Arthur pick up his glass and swallow more of the swill he’d been drinking. Finally, almost unintelligible, Arthur mumbled, “Gaius… coming home tomorrow. And umm, Morgana, too. Should be quite a crowd.”

“Great,” Merlin mumbled back. He didn’t open his eyes, didn’t want to move at all.

Beside him, he could feel Arthur shifting around, the sofa dipping a bit as Arthur leaned close. “Look, Merlin, I’m… not the best of roommates but I… umm... you go out. Have… fun, find a… bloke.”

Merlin opened his eyes at that, then jerked back a little as Arthur was right there. Trying not to bump noses, unable to decide whether to lean in and snog the life out of Arthur or yell at him, Merlin said, “You’re off your face.”

Pulling away, scowling as the anger of it all began to wake him up, Merlin snapped, “When do I have time to go out? With classes and my shifts kicking my arse, I’ve barely time to breathe. Besides, I’ve got to look after you since you won’t do it. But since you won’t remember this in the morning, I wish you’d do something, go back to class, even go out on the pull. Anything to get past this… whatever it is.”

Blinking at Merlin, looking as if he hadn’t expected that kind of response, Arthur curled into himself, burying his face in his hands. “I… what if I made a huge mistake? What if I’m not… maybe my father is right. Maybe that therapy….”

That just made Merlin angrier, at Arthur, at himself, at Uther who deserved a special place in hell for what he was doing to Arthur, Merlin all but shouted at Arthur, “Don’t you dare, don’t you fucking dare even think such a thing. If you like blokes, then you do. That therapy is dangerous.” When Arthur didn’t fight back, just huddled deeper into himself, Merlin grabbed Arthur’s glass and set it out of his reach, then took the bottle, too. “Okay, that’s it. I’m cutting you off.”

“You’re… not my keeper.” Arthur said, then mumbled so softly that Merlin could barely hear him, “Can’t pay you… back. My account frozen… my father arranged… can’t get to… it for another year. I’m… umm… broke.”

Shit. Now, Merlin was awake and ready to stomp over to Uther’s house and beat him bloody.

“Oh, Arthur, I’m so sorry.” Scooting over, putting his arm around Arthur’s hunched shoulders, Merlin said, “Look, you can stay here as long as you need to. We’ll figure out something.” Under Merlin’s hug, there was the muffled sound of hitched breath and gulping back tears. “Hey, hey… don’t…. You can pay me back when you are a big shot lawyer. With interest. Lots of interest.”

Glancing up at Merlin, Arthur’s face wet and splotchy, Arthur said, “You’re… good friend.” Then he tucked himself into Merlin and said something Merlin wasn’t able to hear clearly. It sounded like ‘love you’ but it could have been ‘thank you’, so Merlin took what he could get.

Whispering into Arthur’s hair, Merlin said, “I love you, too.”


	5. Chapter 5

At least, Arthur didn’t spew all over the lounge when he woke up. Still, he looked awful, eyes blood-shot, hair a tangled mess, the right side of his face imprinted with scrunched up pillow folds. Smelled, too, of stale alcohol and something that should have been tossed in the bin a while back.

As Arthur sat down at the tiny kitchen counter, groaning, holding his head in his hands, Merlin shoved a bit of a fry-up under Arthur’s nose. Arthur just stared at it a moment before sighing and tucking in. In between mouthfuls, he said, “I hope I wasn’t too much of a wanker last night. I don’t… ugh remember much.”

Merlin sipped his tea, then said, “You were rat-arsed. Sorry about leaving you on the sofa but you are heavy, mate.”

For a moment, there was silence, then Arthur glanced up at Merlin and back down at his plate. Arthur murmured, “I didn’t say… anything, did I? That I might regret?”

Merlin hated that Arthur could be this small. He should have been full of energy and bluster, trading insults and making ridiculous faces, not tiptoeing around Merlin or anyone else. Merlin’s hatred of Uther grew into a fireball of anger so heated Merlin was surprised the flat didn’t turn into an inferno. That fucking arsehole.

But he didn’t want Arthur to feel that Merlin was angry with him, so tamping down his fury, he just gave Arthur a little laugh. “Nah, just drunken mumbles. Although I was tempted to draw a cock and bollocks on your forehead for later blackmail material.” He reached over and flicked his finger into Arthur’s skin, and grinned when Arthur scowled at him and began rubbing the spot where Merlin had poked him. “Why, is there anything you want to tell me?”

Arthur shrugged. “I… nothing I can’t take care of. I might have a word with Gaius when he gets here. If that’s okay?”

Collecting Arthur’s plate and putting it in the sink to soak, Merlin said, “He’ll be home in a couple of hours or so. Enough time to clean up a bit, throw out all those empty bottles and take a shower. You stink.”

But he said it with a little smile and a nod to soften the words. Then turning around, Merlin began to tidy, as though everything was fine, as though he hadn’t seen Arthur crying last night.

Merlin waited until Arthur started the shower up before cursing Uther, his wanking arseholery, and everything about him. And then he thought about all the problems this brought. Merlin wasn’t wealthy, not by a long shot. He had loans and some scholarships for his nursing degree, and he did get paid some for working at the hospital but not enough to support him and Arthur. Gaius, too, wasn’t well off.

Even with Arthur’s inheritance, it would have been tight. Arthur would have to talk to the uni finance office about extending his degree timeline or even putting it on hold for a while, if that was even possible.

Now, Arthur was fucked.

* * *

Gauis looked tired from his trip, but he gave Merlin a weary smile and patted his cheek, as a grandfather might do to a wayward child. Shaking hands with Arthur, Gaius said, “I hear that you will be staying a while. It’s alright, my boy. I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

Merlin fussed a little, putting Gaius’s bags in his room. He looked over the place, too, making sure that everything of Arthur’s was already put away, stuffed into Merlin’s room or the hall closet or under the sofa in the lounge. He’d managed to fold the spare duvet in half, putting some of Arthur’s clothes and Merlin’s winter coat in between for additional padding, then covering it all with a sheet and blanket and leaving it on the floor next to Merlin’s bed. It should do until they found a cot or something more comfortable. It would be a tight fit in any case. Arthur wasn’t kidding when he said Merlin’s room wasn’t much bigger than a closet.

But for Arthur, Merlin would make it work.

When he was done, Gaius and Arthur were speaking in low tones, Arthur looking sick and Gaius unhappy, but when Merlin came back, they stopped. He wanted to tell them that he knew Arthur had money problems, but it seemed almost intrusive so instead, he put on the kettle and pulled out Gaius’s favourite tea for later.

“How was your trip?” Merlin asked, trying not to stare at Arthur’s gloomy face. “Any new purchases for the shop?”

“Some shipments from Guatamala may be coming in next week. Coffee, cacao beans, and there was a new vanilla bean that I want to stock up on. They have some remarkable dried fruit and herbs that I think will sell well. I’ve been wanting to branch out,” Gaius said. “How are your studies coming along?”

Merlin gave a little sigh. “Kicking my arse as usual.” He didn’t glance at Arthur but his was a brooding presence, like some giant behemoth that just sat there and sucked all the oxygen out of the air. “I have a paper to write tomorrow, then more shifts at the hospital this coming week but I’m okay.”

Behind him, the water was boiling, so he turned off the hob and started to make tea for them all. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Gaius’s eyebrow twitching at Arthur.

Finally, Arthur let out a long unhappy sigh and said, “Merlin, Gaius and I….” He scrubbed his hand across his face and hair, then slumped forward. “I’m broke, Merlin. I thought I had access to my inheritance, but my father has managed to tie up the account until my 21st birthday. Which isn’t until next year.”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out several notes and shoved them into Gaius’s hand. “There’s 150 £ there. I always use my cards to pay for anything so there was never a need for cash. It’s a down payment, Gaius. I swear I’ll find a way to pay you back. I’m not going to have you penalized just because my father is….”

Merlin piped up, “A wanker, a pillock, a prejudiced arsehole who doesn’t deserve you, a….”

Gaius cleared his throat. “Merlin, you aren’t helping the situation.” He turned to Arthur, putting the money back into Arthur’s palm and then patting his hand closed. “We’ll keep a tab and you can pay me back when you are on your feet again. I don’t really need any help in the shop at the moment, but I can make enquires.” 

Arthur looked as though he wanted to protest, but Gaius just sent him a look and Arthur settled back down, staring at his tea, still looking guilty as if he were the one causing all the headaches instead of his wanker father.

Gaius glanced over at his herbs. Merlin had managed not to kill them, which was always a good thing, but Gaius clucked a little at the state of them. He didn’t get up, though, just sat there, watching Arthur carefully, then nodding to Merlin before sipping his tea.

It was quiet for a little while, then there was a knock at the door, and when Merlin went to open it, Morgana stormed into the room.

She didn’t say a word, just swept Arthur into her arms and gave him a hug.

Usually, Arthur wasn’t the hugging kind, tended to punch Merlin’s arm or ruffle his hair if Arthur was feeling a bit tipsy. Once, Merlin had made the mistake of reaching out and Arthur just glared at him, then threw his arm over Merlin’s shoulder for a half-hug, grumbling about Merlin being a giant girl the whole time.

It was only when Arthur was completely hammered that he loosened up enough for bodily contact. Merlin remembered every time he’d done that, treasured the memories even though Arthur didn’t remember a thing the next day.

It was sad, really. Merlin loved hugs.

Morgana finally let Arthur go when he squirmed and said, with a kind of horror in his voice, “Enough of that, you’re embarrassing yourself.”

“I’m only here for the weekend. I’ve clients on Monday but whatever I can do to help, you just let me know,” Morgana said. She wasn’t hugging him any more, but her hand was resting on his arm as if trying to let him know she had his back.

“Morgs, your business is just starting out. I can’t be sucking it dry just because dear old dad is full of shit.” Arthur nodded toward Merlin. “Gaius has very generously offered to let me stay here until I get back on my feet. I’ll be rooming with Merlin. I might… well, we’ll see.”

“Well, you said that you have clothes. Did you manage anything else?” Morgana gave his arm a little squeeze and let go. Merlin shoved a cup of tea at her and she sipped it as they all looked at Arthur.

“A hundred or so quid in cash. My laptop and text books. Some jewellery, nothing much. My watch, cufflinks and some other things.” Arthur seemed to think, then shook his head. “They can’t be worth a lot.”

Morgana rolled her eyes. Looking down at his hand, she said, “Probably more than you think. Even resale should bring you something. How about your ring?”

Arthur scowled down at his hand, then covered the ring with his other hand. “I’m not selling my mum’s ring, but wait a minute, I’ll get the rest.”

As soon as Arthur left, Morgana turned to them. “How is he really?”

Shrugging, Merlin said, “He’s not taking it well at all. I think that your dad really did a number on him. He was talking about that therapy as if….”

When Arthur stepped back into the room, he must have known that they were talking about him. Scowling a little, he dumped the contents of the plastic bag onto the countertop. “That’s all of it.”

Morgana began to pick through it. Merlin recognized the watch. Uther had given it to Arthur on his 18th birthday, the other things trinkets from over the years. Arthur had even kept the Swiss army knife that Merlin had given him then. It was a cheap knockoff, what with Merlin’s salary but Arthur loved it and called it Excalibur. 

Picking up the watch, Morgana said, “This is worth some money. Rollex watches have good resale value so depending on which model it is, I could get you maybe a couple of thousand pounds. Maybe?”

Merlin had no idea. His watch was from Primark.

Blinking down at it, frowning as he must have remembered the day Uther gave it to him and how proud Arthur was at the time, finally Arthur said, “I… it’s no use to me now. So yeah, if we can sell it, then that would be a big help.”

She flicked her fingers through the rest, then gave a little snort. Picking up a cock ring — how Morgana knew what it was, Merlin didn’t want to know, she said, “I don’t think that’s something you would want the world or Gaius to see.”

Face fire-red, Arthur grabbed it from her and shoved it into his pocket. It just made her smile widen. With a little wink to Merlin, she said, “Maybe Merlin could help you with that.”

“Just fuck off, you…,” Arthur snapped. “Gah, sisters are the worst.”

Gaius cleared his throat, Merlin turned away to hide his own flaming face — because he’d very much like to help Arthur with that or anything else that involved getting naked. Morgana just sat there, looking as if she’d won the Wimbledon or something. Finally, she said, “I know someone in the city who can sell these, the watch and cufflinks and other pieces and give you a good price. If you want?”

Nodding, Arthur said, “That would be brilliant. I wouldn’t have known where to even begin.”

She gathered up the few things of value and shoved the bag into her purse. Then she caught Arthur’s hand in her own. Letting out a long, unhappy sigh, she said, “Arthur, he contacted me about you. Said that you were off your head and you needed counselling, or maybe institutionalizing.”

Arthur just shrugged but Merlin could see how upset he was. “Yeah, he told me that, once or twice.”

She looked over at Gauis and Merlin, her face pale and drawn. “You need to watch your back, all of you. He’s not fooling around.”

“Do you think he’ll go after them?” Arthur seemed more upset about that than his own safety.

She didn’t say no. And with that, Merlin knew it was serious.

Finally, she said, “I don’t think he’ll stop until he gets what he wants. You under his control.”

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.


End file.
